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Fly tying: The GFA Hopper
For me and other dry-fly enthusiasts (and that's putting it mildly, at least in my opinion), this month is the month. It's "hopper time." Here in Idaho, our backcountry streams are in great shape–runoff is well past done, night-time temperatures are a bit chilly, whcih serves to keep our high-country streams cold. The warm summer…
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TU in Action: High stream temps in Colorado, Vermont; pipeline concerns; California water, and more
Photo by Breckenridge Outfitters For the first time in at least two decades, two high-country trout streams in Colorado are closed to fishing, albeit voluntarily. Stretches of the Fraser and upper Colorado Rivers are closed between 2 p.m. and midnight to give trout dealing with extremely warm water temperatures — tributary streams emptying into the…
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Video spotlight: How to spot rising trout
At first blush, the idea of spotting rising trout seems pretty simple. But think about it for a minute—how many times, during low light, have you struggled to see exactly where rising trout are working, simply because you don't have the right background to help you differentiate between water m ovement and honest-to-God risers, sippers…
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Tackling the Anchorage casting course
Six years ago, I felt accomplished if I was able to cast a fly past my feet without snagging the brush behind me or creating an impressively complicated bird’s nest. With practice, time, an observing eye, and a tip or two, my cast has come a long way—though I know it still has a way…
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Which pro athletes are the best anglers?
Paul Deeter and "Chuck Nazty," the Colorado Rockies all-star center fielder. I’ve been very lucky to have had opportunities to fish with some sports professionals over the years. And while they all have some great stories to tell and are mostly really fun to be on the water with, I have to tell you that…
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Trout Tips: Fly selection for lakes
Choosing the right fly for lakes might seem confounding, but here are a couple of rules to stick to—consider these the "foundation" for choosing flies for stillwater reservoirs, lakes and ponds: 1) Most coldwater lakes that have trout also have small aquatic insects called chironomids. These bugs slowly work their way to the surface, and…
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Video spotlight: Rigging and fishing a hooper-streamer dropper
This time of year, when the big terrestrial bugs are out and about, trout are definitely looking up. But trout, like any fishy predator, are opportunists—that's why the "hopper-dropper" set-up with a high-floating bug on top followed a couple feet down by a nymph is so en vogue. But what about a hopper and streamer?…
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